Tank wagon



Oct. 21. 1924.

A. F. ROBINSON TANK WAGON Filed March 19. 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet l @L WM TANK WAGON Filed March 19. 1920 l Shee'bs-Sheei 2` Oct. 21. 1924.

A. F. ROBINSON TANK WAGON Filed March 19 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 @an 21 w24.

- A. F. ROBINSON TANK WAGON 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patenid oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES ANDREW F. ROBINSON, 0F ARLINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 STANDARD OIL CO'MPAN Y 0F NEW YORK,

0F NEW-YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

TANK WAGON.

Application filed March 19, 1920. Serial No. 367,252.

To all zii/om t may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW F. ROBINSON, a citizen' of the United States, residing at Arlington, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Im rovementsin Tank Wagons, of which the ollowing isa specification.'

This invention relates to vehicles and particularly to vehicles of Ithat class commonly called tank wagons or trucks and it has for its object to improve the construction thereof. i

Tank wagons of the kind referred to are used in transporting and dispensing liquids such as gasolene, kerosene, etc., the body fof the vehicle consisting of a large sheet iron tank at .the rear end of which is provided one or more, usually several, faucets through which the contents of the tank body can be 4drawn ofi' into measures in making deliveries to customers. These faucets are connected with one or more outlets at the bottom of the tank body by pipes and it is customary to provide valves within the body by means of which the said outlets may be closed to prevent accidental escape, or leakage at the faucets. These valves are manually operated through means which extends upwardly through the top of the tank to the eX- terior of the latter, and it is intended and usually made a strict rule that said valves be in open position only while a'delive is being made to a customer, and be left in closed position while the vehicle is traveling from one place of delivery to another. In order to do this, however, it is necessary for the person in charge to climb up onto the vehicle both immediately before and immediatel)v after making a delivery in order to reach the valve operating means, which is objectionable, being troublesome and inconvenient for the person in charge. Therefore, it is common practice for the latter, to disregard this rule and when starting upon his route open the, valves, and to leave them in that condition until he has completed all of the deliveries throughout .the route covered bv him. Frequently upon occasions of this kind it has happened that one or more of the faucets have been accidently or maliciously opened thus permittingr the dischargeof gasolene from the tank. It has also happened that a tank wagon containing gasolene and travelling well as lives.

through a city street with its valves open, has been struck in the rear by another vehicle with the result that the faucets of the tank wagon were broken off permitting the contents of the latter to discharge onto the` description and particularly pointed out defined in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is an elevation of the rear end of the body of a tank wagon or vehicle having combined therewith an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the rear end portion of the wagon or vehicle.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3*?, of

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the struct-ure shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of F ig. 4.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6, 6, of Fig. 2, and Figure 7 is a Ysection on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

lVagons or vehicles of the class to which my invention relates comprise a tank body 1 made from sheet metal constructed at its rear end with a compartment 2, commonly termed a bucket-box within which are stored the measures or other vessels used in making deliveries to customers, said compartment being separated from the liquid holding compartment 3 by a partition or wall 4. The compartment 2 is normally closed as usual, by a pair of doors 5, 5 connected by hinges 6 with body 1, a fastening device, herein constituted by a latch 7 pivotally mounted upon the outsidey of one door and engaging a keeper 8 fastened in place upon the outside of the otherl door, serving tb lock said doors in closed positions. Just bedestroyed the low the compartment 2 are Ithe usual faucets 9 connected by pipes10 with the liquid holding compartment 3. Upon arriving at a place of delivery the driver unfastens the fastening device 7, opens doors 5, removes from compartment 2 the measures he is to use, draws ofl the required amount of liquid at faucets 9 and delivers the same to the customer, replaces the measures Within compartment 2, and, after closing and locking the doors 5, moves on to the next place of delivery. As will be clear it is necessary for the driver to open doors in order to obtain the measures and it is also necessary for him to close and lock the doors 5 after replacing the measures in order to avoid loss of the same While traveling over the road.

ln carrying out my. invention I provide a safety organization having as its main characteristic the fact that it ensures that when the closure of the compartment occupies its closed position, the'outlet valve of the tank likewise shall be in its closed position; a second characteristic being the fact that when the closure occupies its closed position the said valve cannot be opened. Stated in general terms, the invention comprises means ensuring a closed condition of the outlet valve when the closure of the bucket-box is closed, and providing, through the opening 'of the closure, for the opening of the valve. The invention may be carried into etl'ect variously, by diflerent mechanical organizations and combinations. In thc present illustrated embodiment I locate within compartment 2 af` bracket 11 bolted, or otherwise secured, to the rear wall 12 of body 1 just above one of the doors 5. This bracket 11 is made with a downwardly projecting arm 413 occupying a position immediately behind said door 45, said arm being provided with a vertical slot 14 within which is arranged the hub 15 of a valve operating lever 1G, said hub being pivotally connected with arm 13 by means of a pin 17. The hub 15 is'made with a radial flange 18, the periphery of which is formed with two notches 19 and 20, angularly positioned ninety degrees apart. These notches cooperate with a latch member 21 pivotally secured by `a pin 22 within another slot 23 provided at the lower end of arm 13, said slot 23 being at right angles to slot 14. The hub of latch 21 is notched at its periphery to provide a passage 24 through which flange 18 is free to swing when said passage 24 is alined with ysaid flange, while the portion 25 of said hub at one side of said notch is vadapted to enter and occupy either notch 19 or 20. Opposite the lever locking portion 25 the latch 21 is made with a radial downwardly extendingarm 26 which serves both as a` handle by means of which said latch is manually swung upon its pivot 22 and aS a. weight for holding latch 21 in lever-locking position. Stops 27 and 28 projecting radially from the hub portion of latch 21 are adapted to engage the sides otl flange 18 of lever 1G to limit the swinging movement of said latch relatively to said lever.

To the flange 18 is pivotally connected, at` 29, the lower end of a link 3() which extends upwardly through an aperture 31 at the top of compartment 2 to the exterior of tank 1, where its upper end is pivotally connected to an arm fastened on the rear end portion of a rock-shaft or rod 33 which extends horizontally lengthwise of tank 1, at the top of the latter. The rear end of shaft 33 is journaled in a bracket 34 secured to the top of tank 1 while forward of said bracket 34 the rocleshaft or rod is journaled in another bracket Nea r the said bracket 35 the rock shaft or rod 33 is provided with an arm 36 having a pin-and-slot connection 87 with one arm of a lever 38 vtulcrumed at. 39 upon bracket 35. The other arm 4t) ot' lever 38 is bifurcated and straddles a collar 41 fast upon the upper end of a link 42, said collar being made with an annular groovel into which project studs 43 on arm 40.

It will now be clear that when lever 1o, Fig. 8, is swung on its fulcrum pin 17 it acts through link 80, arm 32, shaft 213%, arm t5 36, and lever 38 to move link 42 vertically. This link 42 extends downwardly from level' 38 through a stufling box 44 into compartment 3 of tank 1 to near the bottom of the latter where its lower end is pivotally connected by a pin 45, Fig. 7 with a valve engaging lever 4G. Lever 4G is fulcrumed at 47 upon an arm 48 forming part of a valve body 49 that occupies a hole provided in the bottom of the tank to which latter said body may be brazed, welded or otherwise secured. The stufl`ing box 44 is made with a radially extending annular flange 50 to which the bracket 35 is fastened by means of a screw 51, thc body portion oft said stufling box being cxteriorly threaded and screwed into a threaded opening in the top of tank 1.

Near its free end the lever 4G is made with a hole through which extends the threaded stem of the. shut-oft` valve 515, the latter being adapted to close downwardly on to a seat 54 provided upon body 4f). Valve 53 controls an outlet port 55 formed through body 49 said outlet, port heilig connected by a delivery pipe 51S with a manifold 57 to which the faucets t) are connected each by a pipe 10.

Nuts 59 and (i0 are adjustably mounted upon the threaded stem 52 above and below the lever 46, adapted to be engaged by the latter so as to move the valve from or toward its seat when the lever is actuated.

To the valve engaging lever 46 is fastened one end of a leaf spring 58 which extends under fulcrum pin 47 with its free end restltlfi lll!) ing upon the bottom of tank 1 so that said spring is under a normal initial stress which tends to hold shut-olf valve 53 on its seat, the said spring assisting in returning the valve to said seat in the closing of the valve, and operating also to secure complete seating. The spring 58 is permitted to perform these functions by providing back-lash or lost motion at pin 45, studs #13, and pin and slot connection 37 and other joints in the operating connections.

. When the latch 21 occupies the notch 19 of the flange 18 of lever 16 the latter occupies a vertical position Wholly Within the compartment 2 and just back of the plane of the doors 5 With the parts connecting said lever with lever 46 positioned so as to permit spring 58 to hold the shut-olf valve 53 on its seat, pin 29 being then at the limit of its upward movement. In order to open the shut-oil" valve 53 when delivering to a customer, it is necessary to unlock the doors 5, swing latch 21 to the limit of its movement toward the right, Figs. 1 and 5 to unlock lever 16, and then swing lever 16 out- Wardly into the horizontal position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. f1 Where it is automatically caught and held b y the engagement of latch 21 With notch 20. lt will be clear that so long as lever 16 occupies its open position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. t, the door 5 nearest said lever cannot be closed, and that after the driver has returned the measure to compartment 2 he must iirst operate latch 21 to unlock lever 16 andthen return the latter to its closed position shovvn in full lines before he can close and lock the doors 5. this return movement of lever 16 acting through the connections described to effect the closing of shutolf valve 53. lt will further be clear that should the lever 16 occupy any intermediate position between the dotted line position in Fig. 4 and the full line position, with the outlet valve only partially closed, the corresponding door in being` closed will press against said lever and will aetuate the lever into its said full line position, thereby operating to close the outlet valve through the closing movement of the said door. its the lever 16 arrives in its full line position in Fig. 1- the latch 21 automatically becomes engaged therewith to again lock lever 16 and the outlet valve with the latter in closed conf dition.

My invention provides simple and reliable means for ensuring the closing of shtu-oiliii valve 53 after each delivery so taccidental or malicious opening of a faucet, or injury 'to a faucet or its pipes, cannot effect the discharge of the contents of the tank 1. Also, in the case of leaky faucets, Wastage is prevented An advantage of the construction above described is that the shut-off valve is operated by the driver through means within his reach from his position upon the ground at the rear of the vehicle valve was open or closed except by close cxamination of the valve operating means or through discharge or lt is desirable to have the shut-olf valve leakage at the faucets.A

closed at all times between deliveries so that in case of accident the delivery line Will be closed and none of the gasolene or other liquid is lost, thus eliminating the danger of fire and explosion in the street. Also, 4the shut-off valve being normaii'y closed none of the contents of the tank 1 if either the faucet or the delivery line itself, is damaged. lt sometimes happens that While on the road a faucet starts to leakv because of the seat of the faucet valve becoming Worn. rThese seats are made of textile fabric composition and occasionally give out so if the shut-off valve is open there is leakage at the faucet. This leakage cannotoccur with the construction above described. l/Vhere the shut-off valve operating means is located on top of the tank the same is operated infrequently so that when it is necessary to close said valve, as in the case'ot damage to the faucet or pipe line, said means is sometimes found to stick through bcconiing nfrozen Constant use of the valve operating means of my improved constrhrtioncan leak out l keeps the same in perfect working` condition.

lil/hat l claim is:

1. it. vehicle of the class describedhaving.

in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shut-off valve controlling said outlet; a storage compartment for measures; a movable closure for said and manually operated means for opening and closing said shut-oft' valve and for holdingl valve occupies its open position.

2. vehicle of the class described having` in combination. a tankhody provided with an outlet; a shut-ott1 valve for controlling said outlet; a storage compartment for measures; a movable closure for said conipa-rtment adapted to occupy open and closed positions; a manually operated membery by means of which to open and close said shutoft' valve; and means connecting said member and valve, said member being arranged so as in. its closed position and to occupy a posicompartment said closure in open position while said V iso tion in the path of said closure when said valve is in its open osition.

3. A vehicle of the class described having, in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shut-oil' valve for controlling said outlet; a storage compartment for measures; a movable closure for said compartment adapted to occupy open and closed positions; a manually operated member by means of which to open and close said shutoff valve; means connecting said member and valve, and means for holdin said member in its different positions, sai member being arranged so as to occupy a position out of the path of said closure when said shut-oit valve is in its closed position and to occupy a position in the path of said closure when said valve is in its open position so that said closure can occupy its closed position only when said member is in position to close said shut-ofi' valve.

4. A vehicle of the class described having, in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shut-oftl valve for controlling said outlet; a storage compartment for measures and the like; a movable closure for said compartment adapted to occupy open and closed positions; a manually operated member by means of which to open and close a position out of the path said shut-oill valve; means connecting said member with the shut-oft' valve; a gravity' latch automatically engaging said member to hold the latter in its diiferent positions, said member being arranged so as to occupy of saidclosure when said shut-off valve is in its closed position and to occupy a position in the path of said closure when s 'd valve is in its open position so that said iilosure can occupy its closed position only When said member is in position to close said shut-oit valve.

5. A vehicle of the class described having, in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shut-oft' valve for controlling said outlet; a storage compartment for measures and the like; a movable closure for said compartment adapted to occupy open and closed positions; a manually operated member Within said compartment by means of which to open and close said shut- 0H valve; and means connecting said member and valve; said member being arranged so as to occupy a position out of the path of said closure when said shut-off valve is in its closed position and to occupy a position in the path of said closure when said valve is in its open position.

6. A tank Wagon having in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shutoff valvecontrolling said outlet; a storage compartment; a movable closure for said dompartment, and means controlled by said closure for operating said shut-oi valve.

7. A tank wagon having in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shutoff valve con-trolling said outlet; an operating member for said valve; a compartment; and a movable closure for said compartment, said member being operable to open said valve only when said closure is opened and said closure being movable into its closed position only after said member has been shifted to close said valve.

8,. A tank wagon having in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shutoff valve controlling said outlet; a compartment; a'movable closure for saidcompartment, and a valve operating member engaged by said closure when the latter is moved toward its closed position while said valve is in its open position.

9. A tank wagon having in combination, a tank body provided with an outlet; a shutoif valve controlling said outlet; a compartment; a movable closure for said compartment; and a member within said compartment and connected with said valve through which the latter is manually opened, said closure engaging said member when moved toward its closed position While the valve is in its open position.

10. A tank Wagon having in combination, a body provided with an outlet; a shut-off valve controlling said outlet; a cbmpartment; a movable closure for said compartment, and a member connected with said shut-oft' valve and co-operating with said closure to prevent the latter being closed while said valve occupies its open position.

11. A tank wagon having in combination. a body provided with an outlet; a shut-oil valve controlling said outlet; a compartment; a movable closure for said compartment, and operating means for said shut oil' valve co-operating with said closure to permit of the latter occupying its closed position only when said shut-ofi:` valve occupies its closed position.

l2. A tank wagon having in combination. a body provided with an outlet; a shut-oil valve controlling said outlet; a compartment; a movable closure for said compartment, and operating means for said shut-ofi` valve co-operating with said closure to permit of said valve being opened only when said closure is opened.

13. A tank Wagon having in combination. a body provided with an outlet; a shut-ofi' valve controlling said outlet; a compariment: a movable closure for said compariment, and an operating member for said shut-oil' valve operable to open -the valve only when the closure is in open position, said operating member occupying a position in the path of said closure when said valve is in its open position.

14. A tank wagon having in combination, a body provided with an outlet; a shut-o6 valve controlling said outlet; a compartment; a movable closure for said compartment, and an operating member for said shut-oft` valve located within said compartment and movable into the path.' of said closure when shifted to open the shut-ofi' valve.

l5. The combination with a vehicle tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at one'end of the tank having a door, of A a valve adapted to close said outlet, and operating connections passing from the valve to the box and there having means whereby the valve must be closed when the door is closed.

16. A tank wagon having, in combination, a body provided with an outlet; a shut-oft' valve controlling said outlet; a compartment; la door for said compartment, and operating means for saidpshut-ott valve co-operatively associated with said door so as to ensure a closed position of said shut-off valve when said door is closed.

17..The combination with a-vehicle tank having a bottom outlet and a pipe leading rearward therefrom and terminating in a dispensing faucet, and rear end of the tank above the faucet, of an emergency valve commanding the bottom outlet of the tank, and means for controlling said valve from the interior of the bucket box.

18. The combination with a vehicle tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at one end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said outlet, operating connectionsffor the valve passing to the box, and means whereby the box and the valve may be closed simultaneously.

19. The combination with a vehicle tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at one end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said outlet, and operating mechanism for the valve having .a member which must be moved to cause the closing of the valvein order that said door may be closed.

20. -The combination with a vehicle tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at one end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said outlet, a valve-controlling handle inside the door, and connections whereby said handle is moved outward .for o ening of the valve and inward for closing o? the same, the handle requiring to be moved in in order that the door may be closed.

21. The combination with a tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said bottom outlet, and mechamsm between sad valve and door through which the door actuates the valve to bring about the closing thereof.v

22. The combination with l bottom outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said outlet, and a train of operating connections for the valve. having a member a tank having a a bucket-box at the arranged to be moved by the door in closing to cause closing of the valve.

23. The combination with a tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close the outlet, a spring for seating the valve, operating mechanism passing from the valve to the box into cooperation with the door, and means for holding the mechanism and valve open.

24. The combination with a `tank having a bottom outlet, and abox at the end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close the outlet, a spring for seating the valve, operating connections passing from the valve to the box, means for holding the connections and valve open, and means whereby the door in closing 'actuates a member of the connections to cause the valve to close aided by the action of the spring.

25. The combination with a vehicle tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at one end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said outlet, operating mechanism4 passing from the valve to the box and there having a member which must be moved so that the valve is closed in order that the door may close, and means whereby lthe valve connections are automatically locked in the closed condition.

26. The combination with a vehicle tank having -a bottom outlet, and a box at one end of the tank having a door, of a valve adapted to close said outlet, and operating mechanism passing from the valve to the box and there having means whereby the valve must be closed when the door is closed and whereby the valve is held in both its open and closed positions.

27. The combination with a vehicle tank having a bottom outlet, and a box at one end of the tank having a door, of springclosing valve mechanism for said outlet, including operating connections passing from the valve to the box and there havin means whereby the valve must be closed w en the door is closed and means for holdin the valve mechanism in while the door is open.

28. In combination with a vehicle tank provided with an outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, a valve commanding said outlet, a lever in said box, and operating connections between the lever and the valve, the lever requiring to be moved into position in which it obstructs the closing of the door in order to unseat the valve.

29. In combination with a vehicle tank provided with an outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, a valve commanding said outlet, a connection passing upward from the valve through the the tank, a control rod connected therewith and extending lengthwise over the top of the open con itionl top of the tank, and means passing from the control .rod into the box into operative relation to the door.

30. In combination with a vehicle tank provided with an outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, a valve commanding said outlet, a connection passing upward from the valve through the top of the tank, a control rod connected therewith and vextending lengthwise over the top of the tank, and a 'lever in the box connected with the rear end of said control rod.

31. In combination with a vehicle tank provided with an outlet, and a box at the end of the tank having a door, a valve commandin said outlet, a spring for seating said va ve, operating mechanism extending from said valve to the interior of the box and there having a handle which in the open condition of the valve obstructs the closing of the door, and a catch for holding said mechanism in the open condition against the closing action of the valve spring.

ANDREW F. ROBINSON. 

